Chapter Eight

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Chapter Eight

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Councilwoman Mirelle stood in the Chamber of Law with her fists clenched, and her jaw set. Ornate, brass lamps set in alcoves in the paneled walls shed warm orange light. A spicy, herbal aroma wafted from censors hanging on chains in the corners of the room. Tapestries woven with scenes from the village’s history hung from the high ceiling, above an oval shaped table cut from dark mahogany. An inlaid emblem with a stylized fist emblazoned upon a shield was set into the table. The other four council members all sat around the table but Mirelle’s chair remained empty.

Head Councilmen Kendrick drummed his fingers against the table. “You know, Mirelle, it’s proper to sit for these meetings.”

“If you’re all just going to chew me out, I’d rather stand.” Mirelle folded her arms, glaring at Kendrick.

“So you can glare down at us?”

“Yes.”

“It’s also proper to wear your robe of office.” Councilman Sarel adjusted his own dark robe, the black sleeves hemmed with gold. A red and blue village insignia marked the shoulders. “We didn’t bestow it upon you so you could waltz in here, late to a meeting you called, in your street clothes.”

“And smelling like a damn swamp.” Councilmen Jekk, the oldest, stroked his gray beard. “It’s disrespectful to her position!”

“I…” Mirelle faltered a little. Even she had to admit the old man had a point. “I apologize, but we have more important things to discuss than which old tradition I may have violated this time.”

“Now, gentlemen.” Nell, the only other woman on the council, held up her robed arm. “She’s still new, and she’s not yet used to how things are done. I’m sure she has a perfectly good reason for coming here, looking like she’s been off stomping through the marsh.” She sharpened her voice. “Don’t you, Councilmen Merille?”

“Yes.” Mirelle straightened herself, squaring her shoulders. She may as well just get it over with. She’d made the decision and now she had to stand behind it. “I have recruited the dragon Revaramek to our cause.”

“You did what?” Kendrick slapped his paw against the table, snarling.

“Oh, God, I knew it!” Jekk threw his hands up. “She’s made a mess of things already.”

Sarel pressed his weathered face into his hands, groaning. “Aw, hell.”

“Mirelle.” Nell’s voice was like a knife, slicing through Mirelle’s confident armor. “Are we to understand that your first official act as member of this council was to go expressly against our wishes, and against our vote, and do precisely what we forbid you from doing?”

“I…” Mirelle swallowed, glancing around the room. Angry faces glared back at her. She looked away, admiring the tapestries depicting the founding of the village, its successful defense against a hoard of barbaric swamp creatures, and what looked like an entirely inaccurate depiction of a dragon, bloodied and bowing to a line of armored soldiers. “That isn’t how I’d put it.”

“Then how would you put it, exactly?” Sarel folded his arms, tapping fingers against his sleeve.

“I’m doing what I need to do to keep the village safe!” Mirelle tore her eyes away from the banners, and forced herself to meet the head councilmen’s glare. “As we’ve always done!  You wouldn’t listen, so-”

“We listened and we disagreed!” Jekk shook his gnarled finger at her, growling. “We do not need that wicked monster’s help! Our village can damn well protect itself against a maniacal little rat-dog and his merry band of stink-lizards!”

Mirelle jabbed her finger right back at Jekk, fighting to keep her voice level. “Those are horrible terms to use for-”

“Not the time, Mirelle.” Nell leaned forward with a hand on the table and a dangerous glint in her eye. Her graying hair fell over her shoulders. “Councilman Jekk’s lack of tolerance is not the issue this time.”

“That’s right.” Jekk puffed himself up, then blinked. “Wait.”

Nell ignored him and continued. “The issue is your blatant disregard for this council’s rulings so soon after you were granted a seat at the table. We brought you on-”

“To help the village!” Mirelle leaned over the table, slapping her hand against it. “You brought me on to help the village, didn’t you? To help fix things for everyone, to find the issues entrenched views made it so hard for you to spot. And I-”

“I only voted to grant you the vacate seat to shut you up!” Jekk snapped, folding his arms. “Was tired of you trying to shout us down at the monthly public meetings, like some angry wench.”

“Keep talking to me like that, old man, I’ll slap that beard right off your face.”

“Oh, you wanna have a go at me, Missy?” Jekk pushed himself to his feet, balling up his fists. He held them in front of himself, wobbling. “I was champion of the-”

“You’re gonna be champion of the infirmary if you keep talking, old man.”

With a frustrated growl, Nell jumped to her own feet, whirling on Mirelle. “First, shut it.” She spun towards Jekk, and poked him in the chest. “And you. Sit down before you hurt yourself.” Jekk grumbled and eased back into his plush-cushioned chair. Nell then turned her smoldering gaze back to Mirelle. “Now sit down, Councilwoman.”

“But I-”

“Sit. Down.” Nell’s voice was a commanding growl.

Mirelle sighed, pulling her chair. She flopped into it, arms folded. “Happy?”

“She threatened me!” Jekk pointed a wobbly finger at Mirelle. “You all saw!”

Kendrick rubbed his temples, hissing through grit teeth. “You both threatened each other.”

Sarel leaned his head on his hand. “Be nice to have one council meeting with someone threatening someone else.”

“Enough!” Nell held up her hand. “Mirelle, get your damn temper under control. Infuriating as Councilmen Jekk may be, he is still a member of this council. You must afford him the respect a senior council member deserves.”

“Emphasis on senior.” Mirelle smirked.

“Listen here, woman!” Jekk stared to rise back up again.

Nell put a hand on his shoulder, and eased him back down. “And you. You’ll afford her the same respect. If you keep antagonizing her, then I’ll slap you.” She sat back down, and fixed her glare on Mirelle. “Actually that goes for you, too. I can’t fault you for defending yourself, but if you can’t get your temper in check long enough to afford this council its due respect, we’ll find someone else to occupy that seat. Clear?”

Mirelle pinched the bridge of her nose, her ears burning. “Yes, Councilwoman Nell.” She lifted her head, and settled her hands on the table. “Allow me to apologize. I meant this council no disrespect. I only meant…well, let’s leave it at that.”

Kendrick nodded. “Accepted. Jekk?”

When all eyes turned to Jekk, he snorted. “Sorry. Happy?”

“It’s a start.” Kendrick took a breath, and let out a long sigh. “Now, before you two decided to act like children, we were discussing something of importance.” He steepled his fingers, grimacing. “Councilmen Jekk is right, Mirelle. We don’t need the help of some beast to fight off a bunch of swamp-rabble bandits.”

“They’re already burned at least three villages!” Mirelle leaned forward, waving her hand. “Those are just the ones we know of! Who knows how many smaller villages they’ve torched that we haven’t had contact with.”

“But that’s just it, isn’t it.” Sarel ruffled his robe, picking at his insignia. “They’ve only burned small villages.”

“So that makes their lives and homes less important?” Mirelle gaped at him, incredulous.

“No, Mirelle.” He brushed some dust off his sleeves. “It makes them easier to pillage and burn. Little villages like that have their fate in their own hands, out here. It’s a harsh world, Mirelle. If they wanted to be safe, they’d have joined up with a village like ours, big enough to take care of itself.”

“That’s horrible!”

“It’s reality.” Kendrick spoke up, leaning forward to place his hand upon the fist and shield. “It’s the price you pay to be free from the tyrannies of kingdoms and empires. We’ve got our own little city-state here, we’ve built ourselves into something stronger than some mud-scratching village. But not everyone wants to be a part of what we have. Not everyone can be a part of what we have. And that’s fine, but they know the risk they take to build their own villages. Sometimes the risk pays off.” He sighed and shook his head. “Other times it doesn’t. Sometimes bad things just happen.”

“The point is, Mirelle.” Jekk held his hands up, shrugging. “It’s not our problem.”

Mirelle swallowed back the acidic retort that first sprang to mind. “Look at a map! The villages are being burned practically in order! There’s only a few left before they reach us! We are in danger!”

“You’re overreacting.” Kendrick rose out of his chair, stretching his back. “It’s not an army on the march, Mirelle. It’s a crazy Urd’thin and a bunch of lizardmen and bandits. When people surrender their goods and flee their homes before that sort of people, what do they expect to happen? But this little mongrel and his men are to run into a bigger village, with actual guards.” Kendrick walked to a wall and fetched a lamp that had gone out. He brought it back to the table. “Probably filled with angry refugees. If that try and take that village-”

A loud knock on the door interrupted him. The door opened, and a civil servant in a red and blue tunic slipped through, closing the door behind him. He gave the council a quick bow before approaching the table. “Apologizes for interrupting your session, but I bring urgent news.”

“Oh no.” Mirelle put her face in her hand. “Please no.”

“Is this you, Mirelle?” Kendrick stared at her before popping open the lamp and glancing at the servant. “Go on.”

“Yes, Milord.” The servant gave another bow. “The dragon from the marsh has forced his way into town through the south entrance, assaulted a knight commander, and wreaked havoc upon the entryway marketplace. Stalls were destroyed and banners were burned. The situation is currently stabilized, and the dragon has relocated after claiming Councilwoman Mirelle will pay for all damages incurred.”

Mirelle’s feet went cold, the blood drained from her face. “He said what?”

“You brought that monster here?!” Kendrick slammed his fist against the table.

“No! Well…” Mirelle kneaded her hands together. “Sort of?”

Jekk thrust his finger at Mirelle. “Then you damn well will pay for any damages!”

“Agreed.” Sarel took a deep breath, then let it out slowly before addressing the servant. “Where is the beast now?”

“The dragon was last seen being led to…” The servant tailed off, then gave Mirelle a sympathetic look. “The Cathedral.” 

“He’s what?” Mirelle shot to her feet. “Oh, Gods. They were only supposed to keep him in line, not bring him to the bar! I have to go!”

“Oh no you don’t, Mirelle.” Kendrick silenced her with a snarl and glare. “We aren’t done here.”

“But he’s going to wreck the place!”

“Yes!” Kendrick clenched his jaw, then swept a hand back through his dark hair. “He is. Which is part of the reason we forbid you from involving him.”

Mirelle ground her teeth, struggling to keep hold her of growing anger. “What good is the damn truce is we don’t use him?”

“To keep him out of our way! To keep him from attacking travelers, to prevent him from wreaking havoc on our village! A lot of good that’s doing us now!”

“It was not my intention to bring him here unescorted. I will take the blame for that, but-”

“Then what was your intention?” Jekk creased his brow, stroking his gray beard.

“To damn well do something about these raiders before our village is the next one in flames!” Mirelle snarled, waving at the historic tapestries. “Before these are all that’s left of our village! No one else here wants to take this threat seriously, no one else wants to do a damn thing to stop these monsters before they reach our homes! Yes, our neighbors have a stronger guard force than the tiny villages, and yes, ours is stronger still! But why put this on our neighbors? Why give our enemies a chance to succeed, and come for us next? What shall we do next, throw wide our gates, invite the Urd’thin and his band into our homes and dare them to take their best shot?”

“The only one inviting monsters into our midst is you, Mirelle.” Nell remained seated, gazing impassively up at Mirelle.

“Your turn of phrase is astounding, but not at all helpful.” Mirelle squeezed the hilt of her knife till her knuckles ached. “We can stop this now, before it spreads, before anyone else loses their homes. Order the dragon to go there, and eliminate them!”

Kendrick opened the lamp, and relit its wick. “To go where, exactly?”

“Well…” Damn it. She hadn’t exactly thought that far through the details. “Where the bad guys are.”

Kendrick lifted the lamp, staring at the flickering flame. “No one knows where that is, Mirelle. Rumors and tales spread by drunken travelers are not actionable information. We don’t even know how big his band is-”

“Because you’re not willing to investigate anything that happens outside your own walls!”

Kendrick ignored her as he walked back to the lamp sconce. “Let alone where they’re based. Rumors have a way of growing amongst scared refugees. The next thing you know, they’ll be saying he has an army of monsters at his back and call. They’re bandits, Mirelle. We don’t need a dragon to deal with bandits.”

“But that’s just it!” Mirelle stomped her boot against the floor, then winced when it squelched. Not exactly an intimidating sound. “You’re not dealing with them at all! You’re not even sending anyone to the villages where the refugees are to talk to them, to investigate!”

“Now there’s an idea.” Kendrick muttered to himself as he set the lamp back. “Mirelle, do you know why we voted against your proposal to involve the dragon?”

“I suspect because-”

“Because he’s an arsehole!” Sarel slapped the table.

“He’s worthless!” Jekk sneered, shaking his head.

Nell snorted, adjusting her sleeves. “Dealing with that beast should be an absolute last resort, and even then…”

“It isn’t worth it.” Kendrick finished her statement. He walked to a cabinet, and fetched some vellum, a marble inkwell, and a feather quill dyed red and blue. “We voted down your proposal because we didn’t want to end up surrounded with more trouble than we started with. Because that’s what that beast is. Trouble.”

Mirelle pursed her lips and glanced at Sarel. “…He is an arsehole, I’ll grant you that.”

“He’s worthless!” Jekk spat on the floor.

“We heard you the first time. And stop spitting.” Nell splayed her hands out on the table, her voice softer than the others as she looked up Mirelle. “He’s deluded.”

Mirelle couldn’t help herself. “It’s because he’s old.”

“Not Jekk.”

“I know, I know. And you’re right, Rev’s got an ego bigger than the marsh, that’s for sure.”

“It’s not just that, Mirelle.” Nell reached out and gently squeezed Mirelle’s arm. “We think he might genuinely be delusional.”

“As in…”

“As in, possibly unstable.” Her grip tightened. “As in, he actually believes he rules over us, that he’s some grand, villainous overlord from the old tales he used to make the maidens tell him when he was young. Before the dragonslayers had him captured.”

“They should have taken his damn head off,” Jekk said.

Mirelle scowled. “That’s a little harsh, if he was already caught. You’re right about the overlord bit, it’s obnoxious. He tried to tell me he’s ‘benevolent’. Barely even acknowledged our truce until I forced him too. But come to think of it, when I did push him on it, he sort of…snapped. Yelled and blew fire at the sky.”

“Then you see my point.” Nell released her arm and leaned back.

Mirelle ran a hand through her hair, shrugging. “I think he’s just an egotist. It’s as if it’s physically painful for him to admit he’s even been bested.” 

Kendrick dipped the quill in ink and frantically scribbled across a page of vellum. He spoke without glancing up. “He’s a gods-damned whirlwind. He stopped for a snack, and smashed up your grandfather’s house, burned down his pasture. He followed you into town and wrecked a marketplace. He’s dangerous even when he’s not trying to be. He only abides the truce because he knows his life is on the line. But if you ask me, he’s a curse on that marsh, and on us. You turn him loose against anyone, even our enemies, and he’s just as likely to be your end as he is theirs. And even if it works out, and he does as you asks? Then what happens after he’s got himself a taste of blood and victory? What happens when decides he won’t abide us or the truce anymore? How many die before we bring him down? He’s a curse on our marsh. If you ask me, they should have put him down like a rabid animal when they had the chance.”

Jekk nodded his agreement. “At least his head and his hide would have been worth something!”

Mirelle took a breath and bite her tongue to hold back her reply. Much as she might despise the foul beast on a personal level, it didn’t feel right ganging up on him when he wasn’t around. “I don’t think he’s quite as bad as all that. I think he’s just…a perverted egotist who doesn’t like to admit when he’s bested.”

“Oh, well, that makes him sound much better.” Kendrick scribbled a few more lines.

“Really, I think you just need someone to keep him in line until he’s done his job, and then he’ll slink off to the marsh.”

“I agree.” Kendrick lifted his head, gazing around at the other three council members. Each nodded their head. “All in favor?”

Mirelle tilted her head. “Of what?” Then she gasped, her eyes wide. “No. No!”

The other four council members all lifted a hand. Kendrick signed his name to the document he’d written, and passed it to the others. They each signed it just as swiftly and passed it back to Kendrick.

Mirelle shook her head, aghast. “No, no, no!”

“You only get one vote, Mirelle, not three.” Kendrick melted a little wax and poured it across the bottom of the document. “Councilwoman Mirelle. In a vote of four to one, this council hereby nominates and assigns you the role of Truce Officer.”

“No…” Mirelle whimpered, her face twitching.

“You will now supervise him at all times, in so much until he is dismissed from whatever responsibilities you’ve engendered him today. You suggested we further investigate by dispatching someone to the other villages? Consider yourself and your dragon dispatched.” Kendrick slammed the stamp of the council’s authority into the wax. “He’s now your direct responsibility, and is to remain under your supervision. At all times. So you’d best get to your bar. I’d wager he’s running up quite the tab.”

Mirelle threw her head back and screamed.